When to Inform IRCC About Changes to Your Family After Submitting a Family Class Application

Family-class immigration applicants may encounter significant changes in their circumstances after submitting their application to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Whether it's a change in the sponsor’s financial situation or the birth of a new family member, IRCC has specific procedures to address these changes.

Sponsor Your Family for Canadian Immigration

Adding a New Family Member to the Application

The process for adding a new family member depends on their relationship to the sponsor:

Dependent Child of the Sponsor

Sponsors do not need another minimum necessary income (MNI) assessment to add a dependent child. However, sponsors must pay any new applicable fees, such as application processing fees, and ensure the newly added family member passes required medical and/or background checks.

Note: The MNI assesses whether a sponsor has the funds required to support the family members they are bringing to Canada.

Newborn Child

If a family class applicant has a newborn child after receiving a permanent resident (PR) visa but before officially becoming a Canadian PR, they must:

• Add the child to the sponsorship application.
• Pay the applicable processing fee for the newborn.
• Ensure a medical examination is conducted for the child.
  
  

Changing the Principal Applicant

Changing the principal applicant is only possible for sponsorship applications for a parent or grandparent, a dependent spouse, or a dependent common-law partner. This situation is rare but can occur if, for example, a principal applicant dies after submitting the application. In such cases, IRCC permits the surviving spouse or partner to become the new principal applicant if they are a family class member, such as a parent or grandparent of the sponsor. Stepparents and step-grandparents may also be eligible through an IRCC exemption based on humanitarian and compassionate grounds.

Upon determining eligibility for changing the principal applicant, IRCC will request the sponsor to send updated versions of two forms:

• Application to Sponsor, Sponsorship Agreement and Undertaking [IMM1344]
• Generic Application Form for Canada [IMM0008]

No additional fees are required for this change.

Change in Sponsor’s Circumstances

IRCC may pause the issuance of PR visas to family members if they believe the sponsor's ability to meet sponsorship requirements needs reassessment. If new information suggests the sponsor no longer meets the income test, IRCC will re-evaluate the sponsor’s income. The sponsor will be allowed to submit additional documents or information to prove their new circumstances still enable them to act as a sponsor. The evidence related to the sponsor’s income should cover the 12 months preceding the date the officer receives the new information and will be used to assess if the change is material to the visa decision. IRCC will only issue PR visas if a sponsorship undertaking is still in effect after reassessment.

Changes in Relationship Status for Spouses, Common-Law Partners, and Conjugal Partners

If applicants or sponsors change their relationship status while their application is being processed, such as transitioning from common-law partners to spouses after marriage, they must inform IRCC of this status change before their application is finalized. IRCC must be satisfied that the relationship is genuine and meets Canada’s legal requirements.